Child of mercy
by Sycocat2
Summary: A sweet dramatic tale primarily from Soubi's perspective. Ritsuka's mom goes too far, and Soubi is there to pick up the pieces. (Some chapters feature one or two lines of lyrics.)
1. Fragile

**Summary: **A sweet fanfic focusing on Soubi and Ritsuka, (who else?) that touches on emotional despair, primarily from Soubi's perspective. Some chapters feature one or two lines of lyrics.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Loveless or Josh Groban's song "War at home"

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**Chapter 1: "War at home"**

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Soubi climbed through the window into his sacrifice's bedroom. Hearing glass breaking and shouting from below, he knew exactly what was happening to the boy.

He knew what was happening and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

His blood boiled at the thought.

Moments later, he heard the sound of someone staggering up the stairs. Ritsuka walked in and quickly shut the door, leaning against it and breathing heavily. Sweat or tears carried down his cheeks, it was difficult to tell.

It took him a few moments to notice the man. *Innocence behind his broken expression, Ritsuka gave a half-smile. Limping toward the bed, Soubi rushed to his side to make sure he did not fall.

_That __**woman**_…

Soubi regarded his sacrifice's appearance. There were new bruises and a red mark on his face.

_Just give me the order any day…_

"I've missed you Ritsuka, why haven't you called or texted me? I could be wherever you want me, whenever you want."

"Right" Ritsuka responded that one word was heavily loaded.

To change the mood the fighter removed a bundle from his pocket. "I brought you this."

Ritsuka looked at the brightly colored wrapping paper, two smiling bears were ice skating. The depiction bothered him.

He had not forgotten what today was. First on his birthday and now today, his mother screamed at him what the **real **Ritsuka and her dear Semei did every year at this time. The **real **Ritsuka loved apple pie, the **real** Ritsuka was happy and hugged her when she gave him sweaters, and on and on. The words alone injured him, but she needed to add her hands and dishes to the assault.

He looked up at his fighter. Soubi bought a new camera for his birthday earlier this month. He wondered what gift was beneath the wrapping paper this time.

"Open it to find out." Soubi said as if reading his thoughts.

He carefully split the paper to reveal a black banded watch which showed the time in Roman numerals.

"Thank you."

The fighter removed it from the packaging and placed it around his sacrifice's wrist, then kissed his hand.

"It symbolizes the time I spend with the **only** Ritsuka, the one I love." He placed a kiss on small lips.

Ritsuka felt a rush of emotions, and threw his arms around the man. Though surprised, Soubi hugged back.

"Thank you Soubi."

_Thank __**you **__Ritsuka…_

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**End of chapter 1**

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Like it, love it? Please review to let me know what you think.


	2. You are not alone

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Loveless or Josh Groban's song "War at home"

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**Chapter 2: "You are not alone"**

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_*He's about to be woken in his hospital bed. He doesn't want to rest. He just wants to run…_

"Ritsuka, can you hear me?" Soubi asked, lines on his face showing worry. "Ritsuka", he whispered, touching his sacrifice's battered face.

_How could I let this happen to you?..._

"I'm sorry Ritsuka, I promised to protect you…" He said, removing his glasses and lowering his head in misery.

Suddenly the hospital bed creaked and he heard sound being formed weakly. "Sou"

Relieved his love awoke, he said "Ritsuka… Don't try to speak, I'll get the doctor."

"N… Sou… wha… hap…"

"Your mother… I'm sorry I didn't stay longer, I could have stopped her. When you didn't answer my text after 30 minutes, I went back to your house to check on you."

_What I saw…_

"I called the police, because I knew you would be upset if I took care of her myself." He clenched his fist at the memory.

**Flash back**

Ritsuka lay motionless on the floor, blood splattered everywhere. His mother stood at the doorway repeating "You're not **my Ritsuka**!"

Soubi forced his mind to not go blank with fury and went through every option in an instant. Immediately, he dialed the emergency number. As he explained the situation to the operator, he lifted his sacrifice into his arms and checked for a pulse. Thankfully, his heart was beating, but not regularly.

"Don't worry Ritsuka, I'm here", he whispered. Hearing sirens, he rushed past the damned lunatic and down the stairs.

After placing his love onto the stretcher, Soubi stepped into the back of the ambulance. Never taking his eyes off the boy, he supplied the paramedic with as much medical information as he could. Despite his training, he **could **feel pain. It was absolute agony seeing this happen to Ritsuka.

"Are you his relative?"

He worded his response regrettably, "I'm his… older brother's friend."

**End flashback**

"I stayed close to you all the while", he said, kissing his sacrifice's hand. Trying to escape these negative emotions, he asked. "Are you thirsty?"

The boy nodded weakly.

Feeling paranoid about every person and their actions, down to not trusting tap water, Soubi gathered money and went from the vending machine and back to Ritsuka's room in moments. Why should he trust anyone? Ritsu taught him to never trust anyone, to only obey his and his sacrifice's orders, then again it's not as though he trusted Ritsu either.

He never trusted Ritsuka's mother for a moment, but there was nothing he could have done about her without an order from Ritsuka.

Long legs carried him further faster, and he was back in Ritsuka's room in moments. His sacrifice took the bottle and drank the water quickly, breathing deeply.

He couldn't stand it "Come with me Ritsuka".

His sacrifice looked up, confused. "Come away with me so your mother can't do anything like this ever again."

Ritsuka's body ached and he was so tired it was difficult to grasp what was going on. Images of the night before flashed through his mind, memories of the horror up until he blacked out. Head spinning, the boy reached out to grab something to steady himself. His hand connected with Soubi's.

"Easy", the fighter said, putting his other hand against the small back to ease him to the bed. He then grabbed a pillow to place for cushion.

"Go… with you?" his sacrifice asked feebly. "Yes Ritsuka to my house, or we can go away, somewhere far away from here. Anywhere you want."

_Anywhere I can keep you __**safe**__…_

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**End of chapter 2**

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Hope you liked it, please review

AN: I hope it doesn't sound too much like my story "One without love, no more". I see that some scenes sound similar, but meh.


	3. He just wants to run

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Loveless, Josh Groban's song "War at home", or Tim McGraw's song "I do, but I don't"

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**Chapter 3: "He just wants to run"**

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Soubi was at the hospital to watch over Ritsuka all day every day. The rumor among hospital staff was that he slept in the basement so he could come in as soon as visiting hours began. Of course it was only a rumor.

A few days into his sacrifice's hospital stay, Soubi was finally able to catch one of the doctors. He told Soubi Ritsuka's state, as he was the only adult who ever came to represent the boy.

The doctor's words streamed through his mind:

"Extensive damage… cracked pelvis… damaged femur… hospital stay… wheelchair…"

In spite of it all he had no "legal rights to Ritsuka", words which sent venom to his throat, and so was not told of the mother's whereabouts, let alone what would happen to his sacrifice after he was released from the hospital. The only answer was "We can't answer that question at this time."

He was sure of one thing. There was no way he would allow Ritsuka to go home while he had such injuries.

He returned to Ritsuka's room, lightening his gaze quickly. The boy saw the switch though, and asked "What did the doctor say?"

"You'll get to be in a wheelchair for a bit longer. I rather enjoy pushing you and talking", he said cheerily.

"Soubi", Ritsuka said tersely, "Are they sending me somewhere after the hospital? Because of…" It was unnecessary for him to finish the sentence. For a few moments, the room was quiet.

_*Through the void of the silence_…

*"You are not alone… Ritsuka I love you. I am your fighter, I will never be far. It's your decision. If you order it, I will take you from here as soon as they say you can leave, and we'll go away."

Tears did not flow down the boy's face, but Soubi could see by the shimmering of violet eyes that he was crying.

It was such a decision for a child. *"Don't ask me if I know what I want, because I do, but I don't…"

Of course if the law did as it should and kept his mother in jail, Soubi would do everything in his power to have matters arranged so that Ritsuka would live with him permanently.

"Soubi she's my mom, my… family."

_But the way she treats you!..._

Touching Ritsuka's hand gently, he looked into those eyes. "**I** could be your family Ritsuka."

A change in his sacrifice's gaze showed he wanted that too. Ritsuka clasped a larger hand.

Soubi persisted, "Just… think about it, alright?"

"Yeah"

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**End of chapter 3**

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Hope you liked it, please review


	4. Yours alone

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Loveless, Josh Groban's song "War at home", or Gavin DeGraw's song "Where you are"

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**Chapter 4: "Yours alone"**

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Weeks of intense physical and psychological therapy passed. There was no difficulty as far as recalling that night's events, but being Ritsuka, he tried to give his mother's actions as much leeway as possible; in Soubi's favor though to his sacrifice's dismay the x-rays did not back up his altered story.

Soubi hated seeing Ritsuka unhappy, and hoped that after leaving this sterile smelling white washed building he'd feel better.

All would be better if his young love did not return to the "war at home".*

Walking into the hospital room, Soubi knocked on the door after seeing the curtain around the bed. "Do you need help getting dressed Ritsuka?" he asked, closing the door.

"Soubi? I'm so glad it's you and not a doctor or nurse."

"_I'm so glad it's you"…_

Those words made him happy. Each day he helped his sacrifice dress, as neither of them liked the thought of a stranger doing so.

"Um yeah could you help me with this?" The curtain moved revealing the boy standing on his pants legs. The waist of the pants was at his knees while blue underwear revealed nothing of his innocence.

Soubi couldn't help but smile for a moment as he walked closer to pull the pants up.

The boy tucked and fixed his shirt, "Ah".

"Are you alright?"

Gritting his teeth he replied "Yeah".

That was the way lately, and Soubi gritted his teeth as well, so as not to spit out all that he wished to do to his mother for every gasp of pain.

"I'm going to speak with the doctors today to see how much longer it'll be" he said dipping his head to place a kiss on the boy's cheek.

Long arms then wrapping around his sacrifice's torso, it felt so right. He was thankful for the measurable privacy of the curtain; Ritsuka didn't wriggle as much when no one could see. At this moment his sacrifice leaned into his embrace, both of them thankful for a reprieve.

A jarring knock on the door broke the sanctity of the moment.

"Agatsuma-san?" the croaky voice asked.

"Yes doctor" Soubi responded, hiding his annoyance.

"Ah I knew you'd be here. You're the first one in when visiting hours start. Could I speak with you?"

"Yes, just one moment." He looked to his sacrifice, "Do you need any more help Ritsuka?"

"I'll sit for a bit, I'm kind of tired" Ritsuka replied stepping back and sitting on the bed. "I'll be right back", he said with a quick kiss that brought redness to now lightly cheeks.

He stepped through the opening in the sliding curtain, closing it behind him. Walking just outside the doorway, he faced the grey man.

"Yes Dr. Mochizuki"

"Agatsuma-san I'll speak with Aoyagi-kun's therapists again after today's sessions, but the plan is for him to leave us as soon as this Thursday." The news made Soubi very happy.

_Today's just Tuesday, how wonderful…_

"Thank you doctor" he said as the white coat walked away. Reentering the room and closing the door, he walked through the curtain. "What do you think Ritsuka?"

_I know you've had so much on your mind as of late. *All I need is a "yes"…_

With a small smile his sacrifice replied "That's good news". Slowly sitting down beside him, Soubi asked "Have you thought about my offer?" He was angered by how his words sounded, as if it was some illegal drug-related matter. More gently "What I mean is have you decided?"

"Where to go after here?"

He nodded.

The boy let out a deep breath and spoke slowly "Yes I have, I've thought about it every day since you brought it up… Soubi could I… stay with you?"

His young sacrifice created his own spell with those magical words.

"Of course Ritsuka, you can stay with me as long as you want, forever if you wish, I love you."

His sacrifice hugged him tightly.

Now he would be kept safe, as it should be. Enormous woes would befall whoever dared hurt Ritsuka next.

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_**END**_

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Hope you liked it, please review

**AN**: I say "several weeks" because I don't feel like researching how long it would actually take him to heal with the types of injuries I said he has. You can think that's however long as you want.


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